Videos

I’ve known Steven Tyler was taking a foray into country music for some time, but until yesterday had not seen or heard any of his efforts. I saw a link to his first music video come up in my Twitter feed and clicked through to Love is Your Name.

I don’t think coming from Aerosmith to country music is that big a leap, with a lot of the guitar solos and anthemic vocals taking the leap from hair rock to country music around the early to mid 90s anyway. In the video Tyler looks pretty much the same as he’s always looked, just with more of a country tinged setting than is usual. I do like how the video starts with his scarves and how they are a constant presence throughout – there is nothing more synonymous with Steven Tyler than his scarves, especially wrapped around a mic stand as we see at the beginning.

As a big Aeromsith fan I’ve always liked Tyler’s vocals and the slight direction change to country hasn’t stopped that. Only the ‘ooh ee ooh ee’ part at 2 minutes and 15 seconds had me raising my eyebrow, but I’m sure it will grow on me. It’s a song that builds to the chorus, and even has a little guitar solo, though that part is too short for my liking. Speaking of eyebrows, as I was, I read that Tyler burned his off in the making off this video – can’t say he’s not dedicated to this project!

In like both the song and video, and Steven Tyler has an aching in his voice that lends itself to country music perfectly. A Google search didn’t yield much as far as the release date for the album goes, but when it is ready, I’m in.

Like this:

It’s been a bit of a busy week so I haven’t had any new videos come on my radar, and what does one do in that instance? Head over to Whispering Bob Harris’ website and check out the impressive archive of Under The Apple Tree Sessions of course. I was very quickly drawn to Thea Gilmore, who is not someone I am familiar with, but anyone who covers Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses gets my attention.

Sweet Child O’ Mine is one of my favourite songs of all time, and has been since I used to have Appetite for Destruction and Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet on continuous play on my double deck ghetto blaster. The younger ones of you will have to Google most of what I said in that last sentence! This song has such an iconic sound, that has spent more years as my ringtone than not, so to hear it acoustically was quite different. It works though, and the whole song works too as folk rather than a rock ballad. I could be wrong, but I get the impression that behind the soft vocals that Thea Gilmore gave us during this cover, lies a voice that could belt out rockier numbers with ease.

It’s shorter than the original, but there are parts towards the end of the song that wouldn’t suit this style and tone. I was very impressed, with the vocals and guitar, both of which are such massive parts of what made Sweet Child O’ Mine such an anthem to begin with. I’ll know be sure to check out more of Thea Gilmore, and not just to see if my earlier hypothesis is correct.

Like this:

If you’ve ever seen Larkin Poe live then you’ll know what a blisteringly good show they put on. I saw them twice last year, at the Zinc Arts Centre, Chipping Ongar in June and again at the Maverick Festival in July, and both times they played on a stage. Bit of an odd comment you might think, until you see the setting for the video I’m bringing to you this week, which sees Larkin Poe playing in a van. You read that right, a van. In their own words Jam in the Van is the world’s first solar powered music discovery vehicle, in which they have artists play tracks, and video it for our pleasure. They performed 3 songs and I’m choosing Sugar High – so watch and be amazed.

Not the kind of setting you see people play in every day, and watching makes me want to do something similar here in the UK. I won’t and can’t, but it doesn’t stop me being wowed by their creativity and originality. The sound quality is incredible and it always impresses me that they fit so much equipment and people in that van. You can see the other two Larkin Poe performances, Stubborn Love and Jail Break, over on their website here.

Like this:

I first came across the Rainbow Girls at Maverick Festival last year. I hadn’t actually planned to see them, but the interview I was scheduled to do was running late, so as fate would have it I was stood near the stage and watched their whole set. They call themselves Stomp Folk and I’ll go with that, because if I was tasked with labeling them under an existing genre I’d have no idea. All I do know is that they are a group of super talented young ladies with a fun and inspiring approach to music. The following video is for a song called Old Man Goat and is from their first album The Sound of Light.

The video shows not only some great scenery and the girls on stage, so you see the array of instruments they play, but also some tour footage which gives an indication of the personalities involved. How many bands do you know that include a kazoo, and as a non comedic element? That was Cheyenne Methmann playing the kazoo in the video for Old Man Goat and she left the band this past January. It’s a great shame and I wish her well in her future adventures wherever they may take her. I have every confidence that as a 4 piece, the Rainbow Girls will continue to produce great music and put on stellar shows.

They have a second album coming out very soon, one which I helped to fund along with many other fans, and am very much looking forward to hearing. Last week was the first Video of the Week feature on 4000 Miles to Nashville and I gave you two videos. Well I’m doing the same again, and this second one is an interview with the Rainbow Girls from a year or so ago, where they talk about their music and their thoughts and approach to the music industry.

Go check out their music and if you get the opportunity to see them live, don’t think twice, just go.

Like this:

For this very first Video of the Week I’ve chosen someone who not only makes great music, but also makes fantastic videos too, all by herself. If that is not a fitting first video to be showcased in this feature then I don’t know what is. So without further ado, I bring you Katie Nicholas, and her song Sweet Talk.

Sitting firmly on the pop side of country Sweet talk is as charming lyrically and vocally as the video that accompanies it. A song about being strung along is something I’m sure lots can identify with, and as quirky and fun as the video is, the message is a serious one to many people. As if writing a song, playing the instruments and putting it all together wasn’t enough, the video for Sweet Talk is a masterpiece of creativity too.

In a very busy week that culminates in her album Dizzy being released this Saturday, we caught up for a quick interview, and here’s what Katie had to say:

Tell us a bit about your music and how you started.

I’ve always been singing since I was a kid, mostly musicals (always been quite dramatic!) but then became inspired by my Dad’s musicial ability with the guitar. I also took a shine to Dolly Parton and her charming presence on stage and saw myself chattering away with my big – oversized at the time – guitar and singing sweet songs.

But in terms of when I started making my own music, it was a gradual process as I found my style. I always took an interest in telling stories, in a quirky and crafted way. I guess my music started properly once I released my track Chemistry online as a Valentine’s present for my boyfriend. It was a simple video I made in my bedroom, but it ended up circulating virally and ended up with over 110,000 views!

Your videos are quite spectacular, and I understand they are all your own work. How long does it take to film and edit?

Thank you! Yeah, I do all my filming (unless stated otherwise), directing, editing and animation! It does take longer than I’d like – mainly at the moment because I’m a 9-5 designer working in Advertising… but I make time! Chemistry took 3 days, Boots (my first animation) took 3 months and Sweet Talk was a project that I worked with on and off. I aim to really plan my time though to make sure I can keep up a consistent presence on my channel this year!

You played Country 2 Country this past weekend – what was that like?

I was truly so happy to have been picked to play at such a brilliant event, especially as I’ve not been on the circuit for too long – I met so many lovely people, other artists I love and supporters of my music! It was great fun and meant a lot to me that day.

You have an album coming out this weekend – what can expect from it and how has the process leading up to its release been? The schedule of things to do on your website looks mind boggling!

Yes my album Dizzy is out this weekend and I can’t quite tell you how I feel. The process leading up to it? Well it’s been a long one. As I do this all independently, once getting all the manufacturers out the way, sorting the barcodes, tunecodes and admin… the designing, the actual process of getting to a place where I felt it was “ready” to release was mental. I’m quite the perfectionist and it took me a great deal of time (well over a year) to appreciate and choose what tracks I felt best represent me, or at least the first stage of my songwriting. I feel truly that this album is a collection of my earliest songs, memories, and pretty much a teenage girl figuring out what love is and what it isn’t – and I know that’s such a cliche thing to base it on, but I truly write my feelings and each song is a personal experience. I also found themes developing between my songs, especially between Dizzy, Sweet Talk and Carousel – all linking to fairgrounds, whirling rides and the feelings of infatuation. Not to mention Sweet Things (someone asked me why I have so many food references in a LOT of my songs…)

What’s next for Katie Nicholas?

My aim is to try presenting music that is where I’m at now… I’ve wrote so much more material with more complex chord progressions, thoughtful lyrics and I think I might try explore a new development of my music. Not to mention I aim to support other creative unsigned and self-sufficient artists like myself create a “buzz” around their music with my next big project, Busy Bee. I have SO many things in store for that – it will bee the bees knees! 😉

Thanks Katie!

As an added extra I’m throwing in a second video, that being Katie’s album teaser – I know, I’m just too good to you all.

From that teaser we can hear that she shows her softer side on the album too, in what promises to be a very accomplished debut. As the sun shines more every day, we could have an early contender for album of the summer.